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Police are awaiting forensic test results to determine their next move over allegations a New Zealand woman was sexually attacked during a Pacific cruise.
The 46-year-old Aucklander said she was raped by an Australian passenger on the ship Pacific Star on New Year's Eve.
The allegations, initially made in New Caledonia, resulted in days of buck-passing between three national police forces.
Two weeks ago New Zealand police said they would take responsibility for the case.
The Pacific Star is operating on cruises out of Auckland during the summer months.
Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Beard said yesterday the cruise liner was expected to dock on Monday but was delayed due to Cyclone Funa. Police boarded the vessel on Tuesday and interviewed a dozen staff, he said.
"At present there are still some witnesses within New Zealand that we need to speak to - we just need to reassess all the information we have."
The results of forensic tests were expected within the next few weeks, he said.
"Those results will assist us in deciding what our next line of inquiry will be and what tack we take with the investigation."
This week's interviews had helped corroborate timing and who said what to whom, he said.
"It was something that we needed to tidy up."
- NZPA
